A patients’ watchdog has criticised hospitals for leaving people waiting hours for medication so they can be sent home.

Healthwatch Staffordshire also highlighted how staff were under pressure to free up beds by inappropriately referring patients to so-called discharge lounges.

Volunteers quizzed staff, patients and carers at Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stafford’s County Hospital and Queens Hospital, in Burton, for the review. Now their research has fed into a national report.

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Hospital officials stressed today they have already taken steps to address the concerns.

Healthwatch Staffordshire found:

‘Serious delays’ in patients getting medication to take home. In some cases, it took several hours and doctors had to be ‘chased up’ to write prescriptions. As transport couldn’t be arranged until after medication was sorted, there were further hold-ups;

Pressure on staff to use lounges for ‘bed-freeing without full regard for a patient’s welfare’. At one meeting, there was a need to find 12 beds for other patients, so staff were ‘heavily pressed’ to move existing patients to the discharge area;

Cramped conditions, with one site having ‘no privacy or dignity’ for patients;

Some patients appeared too ill and confused to be cared for in the lounges and there was a lack of criteria for referrals;

Poor signposting, which made it difficult for relatives to find the lounges, and no pick-up points so they had to find a parking space.

The review mentioned the experience of several patients who were inappropriately referred to the discharge areas.

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They included a terminally ill woman, who had a syringe driver ‘in situ’ and was in a confused state as she waited at least three hours to go to a hospice. Another patient had to be transferred back to the ward after three hours and was ‘very breathless’.

But the findings praised staff in the lounges, describing them as ‘committed, enthusiastic and dedicated’.

Robin Morrison, executive chairman of Healthwatch Staffordshire

Robin Morrison, executive chairman of Healthwatch Staffordshire, said they carried out the review as the discharge process had become a common concern.

He added: “All patients are entitled to the highest quality of care, from start to finish, and the discharge lounge must be seen as an integral part of that patient experience.

"Patients in Staffordshire are clearly not alone in their experience and similar issues have been reported nationally. We are delighted that all three Staffordshire acute hospitals are working to improve the patient experience and taking on board our recommendations.”

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Trish Rowson, director of nursing, quality and staffing at the trust which runs Royal Stoke and County hospitals, said a raft of changes have been introduced. These include patient information leaflets and clear guidelines for suitable referrals.

She said: “To minimise the impact on patients who may need to stay for longer periods than expected, our discharge lounges provide a comfortable environment for all patients to wait.

“Meals, refreshments and snacks are provided. Patients can be accommodated on beds, recliners or chairs, with radio, TV and magazines available.”